Fireproof door.



J. A. WHEELER.

FIREPROOF DOOR. APPLICATION FILED MAYSI, |913.

f/gg.;

Patented Feb. 8,1916.-

JaMEs A. WHEELER, 0E soMEEsEr ooUNrY,"`NEw .I ,EEsEig assIGNoETo WILLIAM '.r.

ELKINTON, or PHILADELPHIA, :PENNSYLVANIA Y of which the following is a specication.

' Thisv invention relates to ireproof doors of that class which are constructed of an external casing of reproof'composition materialhaving the character of artiicial lumber and Yinclosing metallic strengtheningand bracing elements, and it has for its object to provide a simple and 'improved' fireproof door. of this character which Y possesses advantagesl especially in" lightness and strength, which will be comparatively inexpensive and simple Vin construction, and which will afford the maximum of eli'ectiveness and general efficiency Y In the drawings,'Figure l is a face view of a portion of the door embodying myfimprovements, partly broken away to showthe interiorconstruction. Fig. 2Y isa detail hori- Vzontal cross-section, onthe line me@ Fig. 1. Fig, 3 is a detail vertical cross-section, on the line guy, Fig. 1. Fig. llis adetailhoriZontal cross-section corresponding to Fig.y 2

.and illustrating Va modified construction.

Fig. 5 isa detail vertical cross-section corresponding to Fig. 3 and illustrating vthe modified construction as ,shown in Fig. l. Fig. 6 is. a diagrammatic -view in .section corresponding to Fig. 4,: showing the alternate spanning positionV of the metallic-core sheet.

Corresponding parts in all the figures arev denoted `by the same reference characters. Referring tothe drawings, 1 designates aframe which extendsaround the edgepor- 'Said main frame is'` of 'substantially square or rectangular contour,

so that it follows the outline of the door and constitutes the surrounding edge portion thereof. The Vframe 1 is constructed of bars or strips formed of a rigid non-metallic compositionv of low heat conductivity and which is iireproof andy undeformable by heat, and Iprefer to use for this purpose the composition which is commercially known as alignum and which isV constituted by a suitable filler including-asbestos and combinedkwith a firepr'oof binder to produce a plastic vsubstance which is molded into shape andcomp'ressed andrlried in ,ari'gidY struc- EInEEnooE noon..

Speccationof Letters Patent..

theV freproof quality ofthe .door is enrality of interval` points.`

, Y Patented Een. 8,1916@ Appiieafin inea May 31, 1913. serial No'. 7710330.9,i V

ture.` ',Ihebars` or `strips constituting the main frame lare suitably secured together so that the iframe is' a continuous rigidstructure at the edge portion of the door and ineloses a central area'or space. i Y

' 2 -2' designate thev sides of the door, which are vconstitutedloy'plates or sheets of fireproof material corresponding to the re.- proof characteristics` ofthe main frame 1.A and likewise formed of a rigid non-.metallic composition lunldeformable. by heat. These side plates orv sheets are respectively secured `tothe outer side faces of they frame vlin'any suitable` manner,preferably by means of an .f

heads countersunk in recesses inl-thejplates adhesive and screws, as-at 3,':having their Q Vso that the plane .surface of the latternis not impaired.' Said side plates or sheets,

when secured` r-in, connection with the 1 'main edge-frame l, entirely inclose the centralarea or space within the door, and Vthere is thus formed an air spaceasat 4, within' the area surrounded by the edge-frame, wherehanced. Inftheconstructijon as just 'set' forth, theslde platesvv or lsheets '2e-2' and the main edge-framelV conjointlyp form an external casing whichr entirely inclosestheinterior Vmetallic strengthening v and bracing elements. Hthin the interior area orl spacehwvhich i is surrounded'x by'` the main )edge-'frame' l.

Aand vinclosed byfthefside. plates 2, arefarJ l ranged atV intervals blocks, 5, constitutedV A by short bars or stripsof iirepr'oof material corresponding vto the! ireproof4 character'- istics ofthe main; frame 1 and likewise formedfof a rigid non,-Ineta-llicl composition undeformable by heat. y The blocks or bars 5 arearranged. Invertical series 1nl alinement,` and a .plurality of such respective r vertical alined'series are arranged inparallel construction` within the space 4 surrounded l'position at intervals within the interior area :or spacell. Said respective parallel verticalV series of blocks 'for bars thusform a brace "stituted by' the rigid non-metallic composi- Y l' Vtion` elements-which are 'unde'formable by heat and isnbracedagains't strains at 'a plu'-v 'Ihe blocks for 4bars 5 of the respective vertical parallel 'serieslalso brace the plates or sheets 2:-2` which respectively form.v the sides of the Ica l idool", @their-'width 91.1 thetranfsverse cressv119 or space 4l,

sectionI of the door structure corresponds to the space between said plates 2. Said blocks or bars `are suitably secured in connection 'with said .side plates, preferably by means of an adhesive at the opposite surl faces of said blocks which abut against the respective side plates` and by screws,as at 6, having` their heads countersunlr in recesses in the side plates and entering the bracing blocks. The interior parallel vertical seriesof the blocks or bars 5, as 'comprised in the improved construction as just described, not only brace and strengthen the door Structure but constitute an eifective means for this purpose which does not materially increase the weight of the door and therefore does not impair the 'characteristic of lightness whichis desirable in door constructions of this class, and also do not materiallyreduce the area conditions of the internal central space within the door. Preferably, the respective vertical series of the blocks or barsV 5 extend from tcp t'o bottom of the door relative to the surrounding edge-framel l. v

j lWithin the interior area or space which is inclosed by theside plates 2 and the main frame Vl, are also arranged metallic reinforcing elements, said metallic reinforce being constituted by a sheet of metal, as at 7. rllhe metallic reinforcing sheet is preferably coriiugated and occupies both the transverse and vertical extent of the internal area with the corru'g'atioris corresponding in depth to the'space between the sidev plates 2, whereby Vthe .apex of the projecting ribs formed lby said corrugations bears against the opposite inner faces of the respective side plates 2 2, as shown at 8. In the preferred construction, the corru'gated metallic sheet 7 is cutaway or perforated, as at `9, to accommodateand span the respective blocks or bars 5 of the respective vertical parallel series thereof.

Said sheet 7 is also preferablyprovided with terminal flanges, 10,- atri'ght-anglesto its main portion, which flanges .are-therefcie 'parallel to the inner faces of the epposite vertical strips -of the mainframe l and are secured thereto in any suitable manner, forinstance by means of screws or nails, as 1l, which securing means oper- {atesto more effectively maintain the normal status of the metallic reinforcing ysheet 7 and also to brace the edge-frame l its connection with the metallic core constituted by said sheet. In the constructionas jii's't described, the corrugated metallic reinforcing sheet thus forms inner metallic core for thedoor structure, butl does not impair the opeiiarea vof the Aairch'ainber 4, and it .also lconstitutes an interior brace fraine, coperatin-g with the blocks or bars 5, whereby the sp'anof the side plates 2 between the' edge-frame i is braced and said side plates are maintained in their normal separated or relatively spaced status. lt will be understood that, under some circumstances of construction. in lieu of a continuous metallic reinforcing sheet 7, the reinforcingA core may be constituted by a plurality of such sheets intervening between the respective vertical parallel series of the blocks or bars 5.

In Figs. e and 5, ll haveillustrated a modified construction under which, in lieu of separate blocks or barsg forming the respective vertical parallel series of internal braces comprised. in the framework which is constituted by the rigid non-metallic tireproof composition undeformable by heat, said respective vertical parallel series of internal braces are formed by coiitinuous bars or strips, as at l2, corresponding` to the bars or strips of the main edge-frame l, and in this modified construction l have also illustrated the internal corrugated metallic reinforcing sheet 7 as spanning the continuous bars or strips 12 between the opposite surfaces thereof and the respective side plates 2 against which said surfaces abut, in lieu of the cut-away or perforated construction which is preferably employed when the separate blocks or bars 5 are used. ln the modified spanning construction as just described, the metallic reinforcing sheet 7 will be further secured in normal bracing position by the screws 6 which secure the respective side plates 2 2 in connection with the respective vertical parallel series ofnon-metallic bracing elements.y The spanningn positionef the metallic sheet 7, in the modified construction as just described, is preferably alternated se that the span exists at opposite sides of the door, as shown in Fig. 6. lt will be understood that the spanning arrangement of the metallic reinforcing sheet 7, as just described, may also be employed in connection with 'the construction in which the vertical parallel series of internal nonmetallic reinforcing elements are formed of the separate blocks or bars 5, in lieu of the cut-'away or perforated construction of the metallic sheet 7 as heretofore set fort-h.

The outer faces of the side plates 2 are suitably finished, in imitation of grained wood or as otherwise desired, and an ornamental molding, as atlas, may be secured to the outer faces of said side plates 2, by means of an adhesive and screws, as at l5, o r otherwise, to impart any desired panel effect or other ornamental characteristics to the door surface'.

The advantages of my improved door will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. The improved construction provides a very simple door structure which yis thoroughly braced against any strains or conditions of use'and which at the same time insures the extreme heat the inclosed metallicV core Will i characteristic oflightness Whiehisdesirable in doors of this class. The improved door is also adapted to be economically and readily manufactured, azfords extreme vstrength and rigidity, and possesses in maximum degree all the desired fireproof"characteristics, it being understood` that under action of be effectively protected against deformation,

because of the surrounding and intervening iireproof material which constitutes the main framework and which is rigidandl non-metallic and undeformable by hea`t ,"andV that therefore the door structure iseec. tively maintained under all circumstancesand Will not break down under the action of heat. A.

Y I do not desire to be understood as limitand improvements. I therefore reserve the right to all such variations and modifica-i -tions as properly fall Within the 'scope of. my invention and the termsV of the follow-V Vingclaiin.V v' y Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent: Y

An improved n reproof door of the class described, comprising a main frame coninterior space sisting the bars l forming the edge porstrip formed ofa rigidjnon-metallic compovsition of lloW 'heat conductivity and undef.

tion of "the door and surroundingA the interior" area or space 4c, said bars being constitutedbyy a solid substantiallyrectangular form-able by heat, thei side portions consisting of the solid sheets or plates 2 extending over the surface area of the door and secured to said edge bars and formed of a corre-y sponding non-metallic lireproof composition, said side sheets'and edgeV strips constituting a complete inclosure' ofthe interior. space i Which extends across the area of the'door, the internal bracing members arranged in parallel series extending vertically from top j to .bottomof the door between' said side -sheets and secured thereto, said bracing members being constituted by a solid body formed of a corresponding non-metallicy fireproof composition,"and theinternal corrugated metallic sheet 7 extending in the composition bracing members.

namerin the presence of the` subscribing Witnesses.

" *JAMES A. WHEELER.

Witnesses: v Jos.l REED LITTELL,

.VMADELINEV RosENHEE'rT.

VCopies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner o'Patents.

' V'Washington, D. CJ

In testirnonywhereofl have signed 4 and bracing the area o-f, w vthe non-metallic composition Vside sheets 2 f *between the series of internal non-metallic 

